Appleton Public Library Prepares for Changes

Appleton Public Library Prepares for Changes

The Library Board held a meeting Tuesday night, assessing the future of the library.

Bridgette Whitby doesn't come to the Appleton Public Library to look for books.

"I come in here looking for jobs."

And she's not alone. Hundreds of users come to the library each week to use the technology.

"That's one of the things that people rely on," says Library Director Colleen Rortvedt. "That's one of the things that will continue to be important is access."

But the library still sees it's traditional users, like self-proclaimed book-worm Michael Vaughn.

"I like coming here all the time when I'm not working"

Vaughn says the library used to be all about books...and that's how it should remain.

"The whole reason library's were built were for books, not so much for computers and CD's, but for actual books to read."

And that's creating a debate for the library board - How to plan for the future, while keeping traditional users happy.

"The books are the really obvious thing we do, and to a lot of people, books are our brand," says Rortvedt. "But we've always really been about that opportunity that you have to learn, to know, to gather, and grow, which is our mission. And this is really a place where people can transform their potential into reality."

The board will continue researching what the community wants before it moves on to phase two of the master plan. That phase will include discussion on whether a brand new building is necessary to accomodate growth.

Copyright 2013 WFRV and WJMN Television Station, Inc.. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.